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| I have been back in California for just a couple of weeks now and I am so overwhelmed with the abundant faithfulness of God. As I wrote in my last blog, the first week back was FULL to the brim with wedding activities and I had a great time with Christy and her wonderful parents. This past week I finally had a little time to get some rest after the emotional whilrwind of leaving the family and friends in Bangkok to come back to start anew here in California. One of my concerns with coming back was that I would find myself bored with too much time on my hands as an unemployed job-seeker. I knew that especially after being so involved in so many lives and activites in Bangkok, there might be a truthless but nagging voice of the enemy saying - you used to be doing valuable things but now you are worthless. Thank you all for your prayers and your loving encouragement! Though I miss the friends and family in Bangkok my transition here has been good so far and I haven't had those thoughts at all. Now, I just have to say how incredible our God is. Before I even came back to the States I already had a couple of interviews lined up. They weren't just willing to have me come and interview with them - they were asking for me before I even arrived! I haven't been in the technology field for a while now so I was a bit surprised that they were so eager. It was a very obvious show of God's faithfulness. One friend of mine jokingly said that it was so unfair becuase she has been trying to get interviews for a good job for a year now. Even in a good economy I would be thankful for the opportunities that God has been giving me. So this has been such an incredible way that God has been speaking to me saying, "I will always take care of you." Wow, what an awesome God. I am truly undeserving of His kindness. Over and over again He amazes me! Last week I was told that I am being called back in for the second and final interview for one of the companies that I was looking at. Then I decided I should at least look a little so I have some options. I found a really interesting opportunity at another company and applied at the end of the week. Today I went online and found out that I am being considered for that position too! I write this all with joy and grattitude to God for His kindness. I know it is not my own capabilities or accomplishments becuase I have been out of this industry for a while and this economy is dreadful. It is SOO clear to me that God is going before me and showering me with blessings that I have done NOTHING to deserve. He is a great God, a wonderful Father, a faithful Friend. ... and that is the goodness of God without even getting into how He has AMAZINGLY blessed me with Christy! | | |
| Talk about hitting the ground running!
I have been back in CA for about a week and a half now and it has been productive, busy, wonderful, and crazy. I arrived late on Thursday night and started out Friday morning with a workout at the gym since that seems to help me adjust better. Over here in CA many people have been looking for jobs and having a difficult time. Before I even left Thailand, my Uncle was working to set up an interview for me - which in itself is a blessing at this time. So Friday, in less that 24 hours back in the States, I was at an interview for a possible job. The very next day, I went to the gym in the morning and then ran some errands.
Then... that night my wonderful fiancee, Christy, arrived with her parents. I was able to introduce her parents to my brother and my parents for the first time - and thus began a week of tornado like wedding planning in the short amount of time that Christy and her parents had in CA. In just one week we talked with one of the pastors for the ceremony, had an engagement party for my 70+ family members to meet Christy and her parents, visited and finialized the church for the wedding, looked at and concluded on a location for the reception, found a hotel for guests, ordered a cake, got engagement pictures, started registering at three locations, picked bridesmaids dresses, looked at apartments, looked at tuxes, planned the flowers with a florist, almost finished the invitations, and somehow managed to sneak in one date night...
All of that while studying and going for a second interview with a company in Irvine, adjusting to jetlag, spending time with family, and working on other misc wedding tasks.
Just yesterday Christy left to go back to Boston and finish up there. I can't wait to marry her - I am a very blessed man. Today I had a follow-up interview with one of the companies I talked with earlier and it is yet another testament of God's goodness. God takes such good care of His children. :)
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| Wow, I can't believe the time for my return to California is almost here. I have been living in Bangkok for two and a half years now and it has been amazing. I have had the privilege of seeing lives that have been eternally changed due to the love and grace of Christ. The very first weekend I was here, I was able to go up north and see the fish farms and the pastors who were bringing Christ to the Issan people in their context. I have been able to serve in a foundation that has been impacting lives in the South of Thailand where the government is not even safe to go. With my own eyes and ears I saw people who have been healed and hear the stories of people who are now believers because of the love they experienced in HIV communities started and fostered by the SDRF. The work in the slum communities in Bangkok has been incredible and even though it has slowed down in the last year, the door has been opened and with the return of some of our key leaders, this year it will grow again. Many of the children in the largest slum community in Bangkok are connected to the believers who have gone to serve in there and it has been so amazing to be a part of that.
I've been blessed to meet incredible guys on the basketball court and share Christ with them. It gets competitive for sure - but always fun! I've been able to speak at conferences and retreats for high school students, for the whole Newsong community, and even for leaders in Laos. In the weekly Bible studies I have seen people come to know Christ and I have been able to see incredible leaders develop - both Thai and foreign. I have had the honor of baptizing people here and sharing in their lives as they continue to move forward with Christ.
I have had the joy of participating in friends' weddings, and the sadness of seeing a loved one depart. I have seen the blessing for families to have children as well as the excitement of watching graduating students move on to exciting new challenges. Even while in Thailand, I found the girl I love on the other side of the world and had the opportunity to experience Bangkok and ministry here with her. Bangkok will always be the place we got engaged! God has definitely blessed me here in Thailand.
There is so much that I can't write. So many emotions and so much I am grateful for. It has been a time of learning and discovery, a time of growth and friendship, a time of investment and blessing. With Newsong Bangkok we have been able to go to different areas of Bangkok to worship and invite others to share in our time with God. We have seen people from all over the world come and be inspired, encouraged, and blessed to continue their journey more focused and alive with Christ. Now it is my turn to leave Bangkok with experiences and perspectives that I didn't have before. The time is coming for me to continue this journey where God leads.
Thank you all for your support of prayers, emails, love, and finances. I really couldn't have done all I have done without your many types of support as friends and family. Thank you so much.
I am excited to be getting married this June and I know life will be different! Please keep me and Christy in your prayers as we transition into a new and exciting life together. Right now we are both looking for jobs in So Cal and if you have any openings or thoughts, we would be happy to hear them.
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| Great conversations, awesome worship, huge bonfires, games galore, 140+ students, s'mores, karaoke, big decisions, and long awaited encounters... last night I returned from Eagles Camp and it was great:
I was so excited to be the speaker for the Eagles camp this year. I was told that with over 140 students, it was the biggest they've ever had. I remember back to when I was in high school and the camps that had such an impact in life. I always came back challenged and inspired to go deeper with God and live a radical life of love. Last year I had the awesome opportunity to tag team with Abe and Annette for the Eagles camp and it was great. This year had a lot of meaning to me in a different way. I think because I am going back to the States in about a month I really felt like this was sort of my parting words to many of the students. For over two years, I have grown to know and love many of the teachers and students at ICS. I have become a conditioning and training coach for many of the students and I care very deeply about them. For some, I wanted to challenge them to a new level with God. For others, I have been praying for their first encounter with Christ.
The theme that was given to me was "Encounter" and it was a great topic for me to share on. Over the course of the weekend I shared about the different types of encounters we have in our lifetime and the one that we all ultimately long for. I was able to share with everyone my encounter with Christ and how His involvement in my life has given more satisfaction than the greatest accomplishments as well as a strong peace in my seasons of greatest frailty and pain.
I was excited to see some of the students choose to encounter Christ for the first time this weekend. I was also able to pray for many students who declared that they wanted to live with hearts fully committed to Christ. It was a great blessing to me and a testament to all the teachers who have invested in these students and all of you who have been praying faithfully.
These amazing third-culture students are the leaders of the next generation. Highly motivated students raised in the midst of numerous cultures. As their lives are impacted, the generations to come are impacted incredibly. It will be hard to say my "goodbye"s to them but exciting to see them truly launched.
Thank you, God, for giving me the privilege of serving you - I am forever blessed!
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